Benue Governor Says Local Government Autonomy Has Transformed State Governance

(Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia. Photo by Nation News)

Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, on Wednesday urged state governors across the country to fully implement local government autonomy, declaring that the policy has transformed governance in Benue by strengthening grassroots development, improving accountability and reducing the burden on the state government.

Speaking during a meet-the-press briefing organised by the Presidential Media Team at the State House, Abuja, Alia said Benue has become the most compliant state in the country on local government autonomy, insisting that the constitutional provision has brought measurable benefits to governance and service delivery.

He encouraged others yet to embrace the policy to do so, describing Benue as number one in compliance on autonomy.

Alia explained that from the beginning of the year, he made it clear to elected local government chairmen that financial autonomy was non-negotiable, since it is backed by law, stressing that the autonomy of local governments, as well as that of the judiciary, is sacrosanct and verifiable.

The governor dismissed allegations that the state had failed to implement autonomy for local governments, the judiciary and the legislature, describing such claims as baseless and urging critics to interface directly with those managing the local governments, judiciary and legislature in the state, insisting that autonomy was being applied well across board.

He said granting financial independence to local governments has enabled councils to independently initiate and execute development projects tailored to their own priorities, noting that local governments have declared an emergency on road infrastructure and turned several areas into active work sites, funded directly from their allocations.

According to Alia, the arrangement has also made governance more efficient by allowing the state government to focus on oversight rather than direct control of local government finances.

He said the arrangement had eased a lot of his burdens, leaving him mainly with supervisory duties, cross-checking reports and pointing out where things aren’t working, rather than managing finances directly.

He said he requires local government chairmen to account for how allocations are spent, insisting that once the right people are in place, everything flows seamlessly.

Beyond local government autonomy, Alia also credited President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms with significantly improving Benue’s finances, saying increased allocations from the Federation Account have enabled the state to invest heavily in infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture and industrial revival.

He said the administration has consistently engaged states as critical stakeholders and partners in implementing its economic agenda, noting that one of the most visible outcomes has been the significant rise in allocations to states, which has enhanced Benue’s capacity to resuscitate its economy, execute development projects and meet critical obligations.

He recalled that upon assuming office, salary and pension arrears had been one of the state’s biggest challenges, describing the ability to pay salaries as feeling like heaven had come down to earth, and noting that some local governments owed workers for as long as seven years, while the state itself had accumulated several years of pension arrears.

Alia said the improved fiscal position has enabled his administration to declare an infrastructure emergency, resulting in extensive road construction and rehabilitation across the state.

He disclosed that about 550 kilometres of roads have been rehabilitated while over 422 kilometres of new roads have been constructed, particularly in rural and suburban communities, adding that the metropolis is increasingly turning into a worksite.

He added that primary healthcare centres across Benue have also been remodelled and upgraded after years of neglect, saying primary healthcare is now working and attention must gradually shift toward tertiary healthcare.

On economic development, the governor disclosed that efforts were underway to revive moribund state-owned industries, including the Food Basket Breweries, the Bensona juice and concentrate factory, and the Taraku mill, saying the assets had been freed up and the state was at the stage of finalising agreements with major establishments to take them over.

He maintained that agriculture remains the cornerstone of Benue’s economic recovery, with the government providing free fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides, subsidised tractors and expanded mechanisation support for farmers, stressing that agriculture underpins every aspect of the state’s economic growth and accounts for the notable rise in produce.

The governor also reiterated his administration’s commitment to prudent management of public resources, assuring that every additional resource accruing to the state would continue to be utilised responsibly and transparently.

On security, Alia warned against politicising insecurity, saying that although att@cks had not been completely eliminated, relative peace had returned to many parts of Benue.

He noted that the state had been on the front lines of insecurity since 1999, describing the current administration, working with the federal government, as the first in that period to have fought insecurity to a standstill, even though anxieties and troubled areas remain.

He pointed to the gradual return of displaced farmers to their communities as one of the strongest indicators of the improved security situation, noting that people are now returning home and back to their farms.

Alia said this progress was supported by the Federal Government’s provision of security equipment, while the state also procured 120 Hilux patrol vehicles and more than 620 motorcycles for security agencies to improve operational effectiveness.

He, however, cautioned politicians against exploiting security challenges for partisan purposes, warning that turning matters of security into politics amounts to playing with people’s lives and called for a return to conscience on the matter.

Expressing optimism about the future, Alia said the benefits of both the Federal Government’s reforms and his administration’s policies would become even more evident as economic stability improves, urging Benue residents to remain patient and continue supporting ongoing efforts to build a stronger economy and a more secure state.